Rome SDS Announces SK Contest Winner

April 22, 2009

ROME COMMUNIQUE:

ROME SDS ANNOUNCES SK CONTEST WINNER

Art entries from shop kids for the Rome SK (Shop Kid) Contest have been received from around the globe, and the judging has finally come to a close. A ton of good work was submitted by a lot of dedicated shop employees, making the decision a difficult one.

In the end, the Rome SDS is pleased to announce that Michigan native Mike Forester, hailing from Casualties Skate, Snow and Surf in Marquette, MI is the winner of the SK Contest for 2009-2010.

Mike is one semester from graduating from Northern Michigan University with a design degree, and has been one of the key shop employees at Casualties for over three years. His submission to the contest was packed full of 80’s skate references, nod’s to cult movies, and an overall perspective that can only be gained from years on the grind, riding as much as possible, tuning boards, and making it so others that walk into his shop can enjoy the life of shred as well.
For the coming 2009-2010 season, the Rome SDS expanded the idea behind the Artifact SK that it has made for the last two years. This time, the idea was to let the shop kids create the art for the SK products that are made uniquely for them. More than ever, the idea was to listen to kids on shred.
After talking with Mike on the phone last week, it was clear that this kid not only has art talent, but ambition as well. As the winner, Mike wins some loot and a stash of SK product. Once the school year is over for him, he will be packing his car, swinging through Detroit, and head to Waterbury, VT to join up for a summer internship, where he will put the finishing touches on his submitted art for the Artifact SK and the other SK products.

Once Mike finalizes the design with the art crew at Rome this summer, the SK products will be available exclusively on Rome’s Operative Program for shop kids and resort employees.

Congrats to Mike for winning the contest.

And thanks to Casualties for keeping kids on shred on the UP of Michigan.